Theftproof frame



INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Nov. l5, 1966 B. W. Pun/um THEFTPROOF FRAME Filed May18, 1964 BY 5M United States Patent O 3,284,940 THEFTPROOF FRAME Bill W.Putman, Fort Smith, Ark., assignor to Meek Manufacturing Company, Inc.,a corporation of Arkansas Filed May 18, 1964, Ser. No. 368,050

Claims.v (Cl. 40-152.1)

This invention relates in general to :a frame for pictures, mirrors, orthe like, and more particularly to a theftproof frame of this nature.

In many instances, pictures and .mirrors are installed in unprotectedpositions to which the lgeneral public has free access, and seriousproblems occurthrough theft, dama-ge and defacing. Various means havebeen adopted to protect the frame and its contents, but these invariablyinvolved the use of special t-ools, keys, or the like, and they havequite often been ineffective -for their intended purpose.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide aframe for pictures, mirrors, or the like, with means for positivelylocking the frame elements together without the use of independentlocking means, such as keys or special wrenches.

A related object is to provide Ia frame of the type characterized a-bovewherein both the frame and its contents are protected against theft oraccidental dislodgement.

Another object is to provide a theftproof frame which can beconveniently assembled and mounted at the installation site.

Another object is to provide a theftproof frame adapted for productionin any desired size, design, or configuration, and one which isattractive when installed, due to the fact that it involves no exposedmounting bracket or the like.

A further object is to provide a frame which is sturdy in construction,durable in use and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be .apparent in view of the followingdescription when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a picture frame constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention, certainportions Ibeing illustrated in a fragmentary manner to expose a portionof the internal structure;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 1;and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mounting plate as incorporated inthe construction of FIGS. l-3.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the picture frame,generally indicated by the numeral 1, comprises a rectangular framemember 2 formed of steel, extruded aluminum, or any other suitablematerial. Frame 2 includes a pair of side members 3 and 4 and a pair ofupper and lower end members 5 and 6, respectively. Side members 3 and 4are interconnected between corresponding ends of the end members 5 and 6by mitered joints 7, which are secured by welding or the like. 'I'he endand side members 3, 4, 5 and 6 are turned rearwardly at their outeredges to provide peripheral flange sections 8, 9, and 11, :and thesesections are similarly joined at the adjacent ends thereof.

The inner surface of upper flange 10 is provided with a pair ofelongated latch elements 12 mounted adjacent the opposite ends thereofand spaced rearwardly from the upper end frame member 5. These latchelements 12 are approximately equal in thickness to the material beingemployed in the frame member and are atlixed in position, as by Welding.They may be p-rovided, if desired,

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with a slight taper adjacent the rear edge thereof to facilitateassembly of the frame in the manner to be described hereinafter. A pairof latch elements 13 are also provided on the lower flange 11 and, asshown, are identical to the latch elements 12 in configuration,disposition and mounting.

Mounting plate 15 is formed of generally rect-angular configuration,slightly smaller in area than the space defined by flanges 8 through 11.Mounting plate 15 is provided with `any desired pattern of screw holes,to be used selectively in mounting the device at any particular point ofinstallation. The upper and lower end portions of the mounting plate 15are turned forward for a distance somewhat less than the height offlanges 8 through 11 and are reversely bent back upon themselves toprovide upper and lower hook portions 16 and 17. The exposed edges ofthe hook portions 16 and 17 are precisely spaced from the plane in whichthe surface of mounting plate 15 lies by a distance equal to thedistance between the forward edge of latches 12 or 13 and the rear edgeof the corresponding flange 10 or 11. It should Ibe noted that whilemounting plate 15 is formed of a sturdy gauge of sheet metal or thelike, it possesses sufficient resiliency for the hook members 16 and 17to be urged inwardly toward each other to a slight degree, as will bedescribed hereinafter.

In order to install the frame as disclosed in t-he drawings, themounting plate 15 is first mounted at the 1desired position on a wall Wor other supporting sur-face, as by means of screws 18 or the like. Atthis point, the material to be enclosed within the frame is brought intoposition, and in the present illustration, includes a sturdy `glass pane19, a picture 201 and a backing memfber 21 of the thickness required tofill up the frame enclosure. As t-he foregoing elements are held inposition against.the 4mounting plate, frame member 2 is placed thereovervand forced rearwardly. Latch members 12 and 13 act to cam the hookmem-bers 16 and 17 inwardly until the frame member 2 is tight againstthe surface of the wall W. At this point, the hook members 16 and 17spring outwardly into locking engagement with the forward edges of thelatch elements 12 and 13, respectively.

It will be noted that in the installed position shown, there is no wayto `get access to the screws 18l except by breaking the glass 19 andremoving the picture 20 and backing sheet 21. Similarly, there is nomeans for getting access to the hook elements 16 and 17` to unlatch theframe member 2 from the mounting plate 15.

While the invention has 'been described hereinabove and illustrated inthe drawings in terms of a single embodiment, it will be understood thatthis has been done by way of example rather than by way of limitation.Numerous changes can be made in the construction, design, materials, andthe like, without departing from the spirit of the invention yor thescope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A frame comprising: a frame member having a flange portion extendingrearwardly from the outer edges thereof; a .mounting plate substantiallyfilling the crosssectional area within :said frame, and having forwardlyextending'resilient flan-ge means thereon terminating at the forward endthereof in outwardly projecting hook means; latch means disposed on theinner surface of and completely concealed by said flange portion forresilient cooperation with said hook means, said hook means beingenga'geable behind said latch means when said frame member is mounted onsaid mounting plate, and the interen-gaged portions of said hook meansand said latch means being shaped so that said frame member cannot bemoved forwardly away from said mounting plate after said hook means andsaid latch means are engaged, whereby said hook means and said latchmeans cooperate to permanently lock said frame member and said mountingplate in assembled relation; and means operable from the front of saidmounting plate to secure said mounting plate in flush relationshipagainst .a supporting surface.

2. A frame as deined in claim 1 wherein said frame member and saidmounting plate are substantially rectangular in configurati-on andwherein said latch means are disposed at the opposite ends thereof forcooperation with corresponding ihook means positioned adjacent thereto.

3. A trame :as dened in claim 2 wherein said latch means comprises apair of latch means xedly mounted in spaced relation on the innersurface of said ange portion at each end of said frame member.

4. A frame as defined in claim 3 wherein said latch elements compriselaterally disposed members welded in position and having their innersurfaces tapered rearwardly to define cam surfaces for cooperation withsaid hook members.

5. A frame comprising: a rectangular frame member having side members,and end members, and having ilange portions extending rearward-ly fromthe outer edges thereof to surround the material being framed; a pair ofspaced, laterally disposed late-h elements secured on the inner surfaceof and completely concealed by said flange portions extending from eachend member, and spaced rearwandly from the respective end member, saidlatch elements being provided with an inner surface tapered rearwardly;a rectangular mounting plate substantially filling the cross-sectionalarea deiined by said flange porltions and having a plurality of screwholes therein, said mounting plate being secured to a supporting surfaceby screws inserted `from thefront thereof; and forwardly extendingresilient flanges disposed v:at the opposite ends of said mounting plateand having reversely turned, outwardly directed hook portions at theIforward ends thereof for cooperation with said latch elements, saidhook elements being spaced from the plane of the rear surface of saidmounting plate by :a distance sucient to enable said hook elements toengage and lock on said llatch elements While said frame member is beingmounted on said mounting plate, at substantially the same time that saidflange portion engages said supporting surface, the engaged portions ofsaid hook portions and said latch elements -being shaped Iso that saidframe member cannot be moved forwartdly away from said mounting platewhereby said hook portions `and said latoh elements cooperate topermanently secure said frame member to said mounting plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,692,999 11/1928Siegel 40'l56 2,575,721 ll/ll Lichty 40l0 X 2,785,490 3/1957 Fabry40-152 X 2,791,046 5/1957 Goldberg 40-10 X 2,928,199 3/1960 Nov-ak40-152.l

FOREIGN PATENTS 683,458 11/ 1939 Germany.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A FRAME COMPRISING: A FRAME MEMBER HAVING A FLANGE PORTION EXTENDINGREARWARDLY FROM THE OUTER EDGES THEEOF; A MOUNTING PLATE SUBSTANTIALLYFILLING THE CROSSSECTIONAL AREA WITHIN SAID FRAME, AND HAVING FORWARDLYEXTENDING RESILIENT FLANGE MEANS THEREON TERMINATING AT THE FORWARD ENDTHEREOF IN OUTWARDLY PROJECTING HOOK MEANS; LATCH MEANS DISPOSED ON THEINNER SURFACE OF AND COMPLETELY CONCEALED BY SAID FLANGE PORTION FORRESILIENT COOPERATION WITH SAID HOOK MEANS, SAID HOOK MEANS BEINGENGAGEABLE BEHIND SAID LATCH MEANS WHEN SAID FRAME MEMBER IS MOUNTED ONSAID MOUNTING PLATE, AND THE INTERENGAGED PORTIONS OF SAID HOOK MEANSAND SAID LATCH MEANS BEING SHAPED SO THAT SAID FRAME MEMBER CANNOT BEMOVED FORWARDLY AWAY FROM SAID MOUNTING PLATE AFTER SAID HOOK MEANS ANDSAID HATCH MEANS ARE ENGAGED, WHEREBY SAID HOOK MEANS AND SAID LATCHMEANS COOPERATE TO PERMANENTLY LOCK SAID FRAME MEMBER AND SAID MOUNTINGPLATE IN ASSEMBLED RELATION; AND MEANS OPERABLE FROM THE FRONT OF SAIDMOUNTING PLATE TO SECURE SAID MOUNTING PLATE IN FLUSH RELATIONSHIPAGAINST A SUPPORTING SURFACE.